Weather for Kingston

Kingston, Ontario, the Limestone City, is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in Canada. With over 100 000 people in the Greater Kingston Area it has all the comforts and services of larger cities with a small-town feel. Kingston is placed at the mouth of the Cataraqui River, where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence.

Kingston enjoys a mild climate due in major part to its strategic location (44°13' N, 76°36' W) at the junction of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, with four distinct seasons. Average winter temperatures of -8C and average summer temperatures of 24C.

In the spring and fall the lake moderates air temperatures along its shores. Frost hazard is reduced and the growing season lengthened. Most of the summer daytime cooling can be attributed to the influence of the lake river breeze effect. The bodies of water also influence the humidity of the air and the aerial distribution of cloud and precipitation. In the early spring, fall, and early winter there tends to be greater cloud development over Lake Ontario.

In the summer, daytime showers and thunderstorms are more likely to form over the warmer land. In the winter, before freeze up sets in, the cold air blowing off the land over the relatively warm waters of the river and lake causes the so-called "lake-effect snowstorms.

Each summer Kingston hosts CORK, the largest freshwater sailing regatta in North America, and also numerous music, theatre and a busker's festival.

All in all, summer or winter, Kingston is a great place to live.